Quantum Racing firms grip on Courier Mail Cup

by Ian Grant on 23 Mar 2008 Popular Sydney blue water racing skipper Ray Roberts and his Quantum Racing crew remain as strong favourites to win the 308 n/ml Brisbane to Gladstone race on corrected time.

The Cookson 50’s crew mastered a mixed range of ocean sailing conditions to finish with an impressive race average speed of 11.76 knots in a breeze which presented numerous tactical challenges.

Their clever 26 hours and 11 minutes of serious offshore racing expressed the collective knowledge of the crew who were determined to set the bench mark in the historical 60 year old Queensland coastal racing classic after narrowly missing an outright win in 2007.

Skipper Roberts a veteran of 17 Sydney Hobart races and his World championship winning tactician Steve McConaghy backed by former Brisbane-Gladstone race champion Richard Hudson set the benchmark when Quantum Racing sailed above her handicap rating over the complete range of winds.

They had the New Zealand built sloop on the pace out of Moreton Bay and then progressively put more time in the bank with their faultless ocean racing strategy applied to the important 250 nautical miles of physically testing ocean sailing between Caloundra and the entrance to Gladstone Harbour.
The combined skill of skipper and crew and their elected tactics laid the foundation for Quantum Racing to log the required speed to outpace her 1.342 rating.

When the crew stepped ashore they held a confident belief that they could not have sailed a more perfect race.

That confidence was progressively rewarded when Quantum Racing provisionally posted the fastest corrected handicap time.

Their chances of winning the prestigious 60 year old Courier Mail Cup had improved when the older and lower handicap yachts ran out of time to become serious challengers.

At dawn this morning only Fairwind, Magic Dragon and the 1964 race winner the Peter Kerr skippered Pagan held a chance to spoil the deserved victory celebrations for Quantum Racing.

'I have the pleasure of sailing with a great bunch of mates who are a great crew that deserve to have a sip of champers out of the Cup'. Ray Roberts said.

Thirteen years ago he steered the smaller sloop Millenium to victory in 1995 and unless the building breeze blows Pagan home with a faster corrected time then he will enjoy the same experience in Gladstone later today.